April 5, 2011

Top Chef - The finale 2 Episodes

We are down to the final 3: Antonia, Richard and Mike. Wolfgang Puck and Padma have the chefs doing a quickfire where they become conjoined twins, using only one hand or no untensils while making food with canned goods, hot dogs or cooking all in one pot. It was one of the most ridiculous things I've seen in a long time. It sort of looked it could have been auditions for the Wipeout show but with top chefs. oh my.

Antonia's curry soup and Richard's currywurst doesn't do it for the judges as Mike's pork and beans dish. I think Mike had it way too easy if you ask me.

They are given the elimination challenge of creating the judges "last supper". Masaharu Morimoto requested sashimi, pickled vegetables and perfect rice. Michelle Bernstein desire was for fried chicken and biscuits and Wolfgang Puck visioned foods that his mother made, goulash, spatzle and apple strudel.

I thought it was cruel that Mike gave Antonia, Morimoto's dish to make, because that is NOT easy, and of course, he took the easiest last supper of fried chicken. He's playing the game, that's for sure, and he wanted to go to the end with Richard.

That being said, Richard wins that challenge and is into the finale. Padma brings out a card, which has Mike and Antonia, back into the kitchen, creating one last bite for entry into the final 2.

Antonia makes a grouper in a coconut, curry sauce but it's Mike that secures the last position into the finale, with his surf and turf.

I almost cried alongside Antonia. It made me sad and I was really hoping to see a woman be in the last 2 position. Sorry, Antonia.

...

Final 2: Mike and Richard.

I figured Richard would have made it this far. But, I have to give kudos to MikeasI did not see him as one of the final 2 or 3. I thought he would have been cut a long time ago but he is obviously the underdog.

The eliminated chefs are brought back and told to make an amuse-bouche. For the final challenge, Mike and Richard are told they get to create the restaurant of their dreams. However, they have to pick their sous chefs, through a blind tasting. Whomever's appetizer they pick will become their kitchen hands.

Mike - Restaurant Iz: Carla, Jamie and Tiffani.

Richard - Tongue & Cheek Restaurant: Antonia, Spike and Angelo

It seemed to be a tie since it was 2 dishes from each chef that stood out to the judges. Mike's braised pork shoulder with pepperoni sauce and the pinenut rosemary custard was the judges faves. Where Richard's raw oyster with creme fraiche and raw hamachi with sweet bread veal won the judges votes.

But, when Gail said that Mike's food would be what she would eat on the weekday and Richard's food on the weekend, I knew who clinched the title of Top Chef.

I felt pretty bad for Mike but a big congrats to Richard. He is the master in the kitchen and he proved it by clinching the Top Chef Title.